Find out about the leading refrigerated transport service provider basetd in the United States. We have prepared a list of the top 50 companies for 2021. Let’s consider one scenario. You are a producer of apple fruit in California. All your sales happen in the local market adjacent to your orchard. But tomorrow, you receive a big order from a prospective buyer based in Florida. You are delighted. But then, one worry creeps into your mind. How to transport the apples over 2,000 miles without them getting spoilt?
The answer is – transport them through a refrigerated carrier or a refrigerated trucking company.
What are refrigerated trucking companies?
Another name for refrigerated trucking is reefer. This is a method of freight movement of those types of cargo that require temperature-controlled transportation. The trailer into which the cargo is kept has an in-built refrigeration system that keeps the products in the state they were in before being transported.
To consider the above example, apples are a perishable commodity. If you transport them like you would transport any non-food item, the whole consignment would start to rot much before reaching the final destination. But since you have availed of a refrigerated compartment to send them, the apples would be absolutely fresh when they finally reach the buyer in Florida.
Different perishable items need different levels of refrigeration to stay fresh. The refrigerated trucking company has experts who know this very well. So, they will set the ideal temperature depending on the type of cargo.
Refrigerated trucks differ in looks from normal trucks because they are meant to carry different types of cargo. They maintain a constant, pre-set temperature inside. They are able to withstand temperature fluctuations outside and not let it disturb the inside temperature.
Before starting the transportation, a refrigerated trucking company has to consider certain points:
- Get a careful inventory mapping done of the perishable commodity to be transported.
- Load the commodity as fast as possible onto the refrigerated truck so that the commodity doesn’t get spoiled even before the loading is complete.
- Continuous and strict monitoring of the vehicle is essential throughout the journey. Sudden conditions might necessitate immediate adjustments on the way.
- Upon reaching the destination, the commodity needs to be unloaded as fast as possible and handed over to the recipient’s storage facility to prevent spoiling.
What are the uses of refrigerated trucking companies?
- The shipper can transport the perishable products in a fresh condition to those places where there is a demand for it.
- Apart from perishable food items, refrigerated trucking companies also help to transport essential and life-saving commodities like medicines or other pharmaceutical products. They also help to carry personal care products and plants in fresh condition.
- The refrigerated trucking companies help to protect the sensitive cargo that they are transporting. The vehicles are much better equipped to withstand the challenges of outside temperature fluctuations and other weather-related hazards.
- Refrigerated trucking companies are more keen to deliver the shipment on time as, for a perishable commodity, every minute is critical.
Some of the top refrigerated trucking companies in the U.S. are:
- Prime Inc.
- R. England
- KLLM Transport Services
- Swift Refrigerated
- Stevens Transport
- Marten Transport
List of Top 50 Refrigerated Trucking Companies
| Rank | Company | Establishment | Employees | Contact |
| 1 | Prime Inc. | 1970 | 5,001-10,000 | 1-800-491-1240 |
| 2 | C.R. England | 1920 | 5,001-10,000 | (801) 974-3318 |
| 3 | KLLM Transport Services | 1963 | 1,001-5,000 | +1 800-925-1000 |
| 4 | Swift Refrigerated | 1966 | 21,900 | 1-888-871-3537 |
| 5 | Stevens Transport | 1980 | 1,001-5,000 | 1-800- 333-8595 |
| 6 | Marten Transport | 1946 | 3,589 | 1-800- 333-8595 |
| 7 | Hirschbach Motor Lines | 1935 | N/A | +1- 800-554-2969 |
| 8 | TransAm Trucking Inc. | 1987 | 1001-5000 | +1 913-782-5300 |
| 9 | John Christner Trucking | 1986 | 201-500 | +1 918-227-1600 |
| 10 | Shaffer Trucking | 1937 | 5,001-10,000 | (800) 998-8100 |
| 11 | Navajo Express | 1981 | 501-1,000 | +1 303-287-3800 |
| 12 | Black Horse Carriers | 1998 | 1,001-5,000 | +1 315-696-2435 |
| 13 | May Trucking | 1966 | 1,001-5,000 | 503-393-7030 |
| 14 | Bay & Bay Transportation | 1941 | 201-500 | +1- 800-624-8130 |
| 15 | NFI | 1932 | 10,001+ | N/A |
| 16 | Frialsa Logistica | 1983 | 1,001-5,000 | 018005044500 |
| 17 | Covenant Transportation Group | 1986 | 5,001-10,000 | 888-763-5352 |
| 18 | Pride Transport | 1979 | 501-1,000 | 800-877-1320 |
| 19 | J&R Schugel Trucking | 1974 | 501-1,000 | 800-359-2900 |
| 20 | WEL Companies | 1975 | 501-1,000 | (800) 333-4415 |
| 21 | National Carriers Inc. | 1968 | 501-1,000 | (800) 835-9180 |
| 22 | Decker Truck Line | 1931 | 1,001-5,000 | (515) 576-4141 |
| 23 | Freymiller Inc. | 1996 | 501-1,000 | 405-491-2800 |
| 24 | Roadrunner Temperature Controlled | 2006 | N/A | (402) 898-8605 |
| 25 | Continental Express Inc. | 1984 | 201-500 | 800-497-2100 |
| 26 | Day & Ross | 1950 | 1,001-5,000 | 1-877-726-3329 |
| 27 | Schuster Co. | 1924 | 501-1,000 | +1 800-831-4832 |
| 28 | Roehl Refrigerated Transport | 1962 | 2,500+ | 715-591-7050 |
| 29 | Great Plains Transport Inc. | 1977 | 201-500 | +1 701-281-3006 |
| 30 | Denney Transport | 1994 | 2-10 | 800-249-9925 |
| 31 | Maverick USA | 1980 | 1001-5000 | (800)289-1100 |
| 32 | MCT Transportation | 1949 | 501-1,000 | 1-800-843-9904 |
| 33 | Cowan Systems | 1994 | 2,250 | 800-882-6926 |
| 34 | PS Logistics | 2004 | 1,001-5,000 | 205-788-4000 |
| 35 | CRST International | 1955 | 1,001-5,000 | (866) 648-2816 |
| 36 | Transportes Garza Leal | N/A | 238 | +52 871 175 0600 |
| 37 | TWT Refrigerated | 1972 | 1,001-5,000 | +1-800-336-4503 |
| 38 | TransAmerica Express Logistics | 2015 | 11-50 | (866) 321-2568 |
| 39 | Halvor Lines | 1968 | 501-1,000 | (800) 233-2914 |
| 40 | Blackhawk Transport | 1990 | 501-1,000 | +1 800-322-9492 |
| 41 | Cross Trucking | N/A | 1-50 | +412-322-4466 |
| 42 | Razir Transport Services | 2006 | 51-200 | +1 204-489-2258 |
| 43 | JTL | 1992 | 201-500 | 18008891120 |
| 44 | Transfreight | 1988 | 1,001-5,000 | N/A |
| 45 | Loadsafe crossborder freight | 2005 | 11-50 | (403) 930-4705 |
| 46 | Bhullar Trucking | 2006 | 11-50 | 530-301-2287 |
| 47 | Rolls Right Trucking | 1976 | 51-200 | +1 604-298-0080 |
| 48 | Ron Finemore Transport | 2004 | 501-1000 | (03) 6024 9900 |
| 49 | Gleam Transportation | 2017 | 11-50 | (800) 694 9972 |
| 50 | Hanson Trucking Company | 1957 | N/A | (404) 604-6641 |
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